End bracket for utility stands



May V20, 1952 J, w, MURRAY 2,597,166

END BRACKET FOR UTIL'TY STANDS Filed Feb. 18, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

/Yaffgy mgl-@gf Patented May 20, 1952 :UNIT El); y S TATIES. PAT ENT 0F F11-C151 vh'END BRACKET FOR UTILITY STANDS .l ack W.v Murray, Salem, Wis.

VApplicationlifelntuary 181949, Serial No. 77,215

lIClaim. 1

This inventionv relates to typewriting stands, utility stands and devices of like character, `and has for its general aim the provision of-a{novel and improved structural 'assembly ofv'parts so designed and related that the standv lmayA be. shipped ina disassembled or knockedrdown condition, yetmay be quicklyand easilyassembled by the purchaser, and when assembledwill be strong, rigid, and yet of. neat and pleasing appearance.

It has been common prior Ypractice to construct small stands suited to supporting a typewriter,

adding machine or the like by providing a top panel with tubular legs secured to the underside of the panel and extending downwardly to thea floor. Ordinarily braces are secured between the legs to give the structure rigidity, and it is coAA mon practice to provide a pair of hinged end panels with jointed supports extending from the undersurface of each end panel to one of these braces.

It has been found that While this type of construction is reasonably satisfactory after assembly, yet it is disadvantageous from a merchandising standpoint by reason of the fact that it is not ordinarily advisable to ship the stands to the dealer or user in completely assembled condition, yet if shipped knocked-down, the units are somewhat diicult to assemble and frequently confuse the purchaser who is often unfamiliar with the manner in which the various parts are supposed to be put together. It is therefore the primary aim of the present invention to depart from these prior teachings and to provide an improved type of stand wherein the legs are not secured to the top panel directly, but are instead secured to a pair of end brackets, each `of which are mounted on the under surface of the top panel. According to the present invention, the legs support the brackets and the brackets in turn support the panel. By this expedient the brackets and top panel may be permanently assembled at the factory and if the stand is provided with hinged end panels, as is customary, these may be hinged in place and folding supports assembled between the end panels and the end brackets so that they may be raised or lowered as desired. With such an assembly it is entirely feasible to assemble all parts, except the legs themselves, at the factory. Thus the unit requires a minimum of shipping space, yet may be put in use by merely mounting the legs there- Referring now to the drawings of this specilication in which a present preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

Figure l is a perspective view of a typing or utility stand according to these teachings;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pair of leg frames and end brackets, as here utilized, showing the manner invwhich these parts t together;

,and

lFigure 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane of. the line 3- 3 of'lFi'gure 2.

The stand has a top panel I0 which is ordinarily Iof rectangular shape andmay be provided with a pair of end panels'II and I2 hinged to the panel I0 along their adjoining edges. The top panel Ill has a pair of end bracketsgenerally designated as I3 secured to its undersurface near its opposite ends. The end brackets vI3 each consist of a vertical end plate I4 integral with and extending between a pair of corner plates I5. The end and corner plates are providedf with. '.at flanges I6 and I1 yon which thetop panel Il) is mounted. The corner plates I5 have inwardly extending curved flanges I8 and the end plate I4 may have a bottom flange I9 and, if desired, may be ornamented and reinforced by forming as indicated at 2U.

The legs of the stand are preferably tubular, and as shown comprise two opposite leg frames, each consisting of a horizontal bar ZI with downwardly curved corner portions 22 at each end terminating in integral legs 23. These may be provided with casters 24, if desired, and may be offset outwardly at 25 to increase the stability of the unit.

The stand is assembled at the factory by mounting the end brackets I3 on the underside of the top panel IIJ, hinging the panels I I and I2 in position and mounting jointed supports 26 between ttings 21 on the underside of the end panels and similar fittings 28 secured to the end plates I4 of the bracket. These may be fastened by screws or rivets entering the perforations 29. The stands may be shipped in this partially assembled condition with a considerable saving in space required, but it is to be noted that the panels, brackets and hinged supports are all permanently joined to each `other and in operating condition. Thus, when the unit is received by the purchaser it is only necessary to position the leg frames against the inner side of the curved flanges i8 and secure them by the machine screws 3i! inserted through openings provided for the purpose. There is no possibility for confusion as to the manner in which the parts should be assembled. Also, since the unit consists of only three separate parts, there is little likelihood of any of the parts being overlooked or mislaid in the course of unpacking. Moreover, when the stand is assembled it is of neat appearance and is structurally stronger and more rigid than prior types.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

An end bracket for a utility table having a top panel with a pair of double leg frames each consisting of a horizontal top bar with downwardly curved corner portions terminating in downwardly extending legs; said end bracket consisting of a generally rectangular end plate vertically disposed under the top panel with a horizontal flange along the upper edge of said end plate bearing against the under surface of the panel and with additional integral reinforcing means extending across the end plate below said ange, each end of the end plate having a curved portion extending into and integral with a pairof identical and opposite corner plates lying in generally parallel planes with each other but spaced apart, said corner plates each having a horizontal inwardly extending ange along the upper edge thereof and a curved ange partially encircling one of the curved end portions of each of the double leg frames, the lowermost end of each of said curved flanges lying substantially parallel with but spaced from the end plate and each of said flanges extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom in a curve terminating in a generally horizontal portion spaced below the end of the horizontal flange of-said corner plate, together with means on said bracket for securing it to the.

leg frames of the table.

Y JACK W. MURRAY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Re. 12,973 1,353,660 5 1,330,042 1,425,072 1,531,045 1,303,545 1,354,332 10 1,358,857 2,022,714 2,109,369 2,157,955 2,234,003 15 2,294,223 2,297,316 2,310,904 2,314,144

The following references are of record in the -Y le of this patent:

Name Date Hendricks June 15, 1909 Main Sept. 21, 1920 Cook May 3l, 1921 Adams Aug. 8, 1922 Swaisgood Mar. 24, 1925 Casper May 5, 1931 Gastonguay et al. Apr. 19, 1932 Huntley May 17, 1932 Gallup Dec. 3, 1935 Ross Mar. l, 1938 Hallowell et al. May 9, 1939 Luppert May 26, 1942 Castelli Aug. 25, 1942 Padgett Sept. 29, 1942 Bales Feb. 9, 1943 Hicks Mar. 16,- 1943 Walstrom Sept. 28,Y 1943 Smith et al Feb. 17, 1948 Duer Apr. 12, 1949 Shoenberg Mar.Y 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTSv Country Date France Oct. 21, 1910 Great Britain June Y14, 1938 

